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Kill the Mall
Douglas Adams meets David Lynch in this witty yet horror-tinged fable about one of North America's scariest inventions--the local mall.
After writing a letter in praise of "malls," our eccentric narrator is offered a "residency" at a shabby suburban shopping centre. His mission: to occupy the mall for several weeks, splitting his time between "making work" and "engaging the public," all while chronicling his adventures in weekly progress reports.
Before long, a series of strange after-hour events rattles our hero, and he sets forth on a nightly quest to untangle the mysterious forces at play in the mall's unmapped recesses. Things quickly get hairy, and our narrator's optimism about his mall residency descends into doubt, and then into a full-blown phantasmagoria of horror and (possibly) murder. With the aid of a weird and wonderful cast of mall-dwelling misfits--including a pony named Gary--our narrator is forced to conclude that the mall may not be the temple of consumer bliss he initially imagined, but something far more sinister. And who, or what, is benefitting from its existence?
Pasha Malla's creative genius shines in this madcap work of horror-fantasy--a cutting critique of consumer culture as embodied in the fading local mall.
After writing a letter in praise of "malls," our eccentric narrator is offered a "residency" at a shabby suburban shopping centre. His mission: to occupy the mall for several weeks, splitting his time between "making work" and "engaging the public," all while chronicling his adventures in weekly progress reports.
Before long, a series of strange after-hour events rattles our hero, and he sets forth on a nightly quest to untangle the mysterious forces at play in the mall's unmapped recesses. Things quickly get hairy, and our narrator's optimism about his mall residency descends into doubt, and then into a full-blown phantasmagoria of horror and (possibly) murder. With the aid of a weird and wonderful cast of mall-dwelling misfits--including a pony named Gary--our narrator is forced to conclude that the mall may not be the temple of consumer bliss he initially imagined, but something far more sinister. And who, or what, is benefitting from its existence?
Pasha Malla's creative genius shines in this madcap work of horror-fantasy--a cutting critique of consumer culture as embodied in the fading local mall.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2021
11 people are currently reading
947 people want to read
About the author
Pasha Malla
19 books58 followersPasha Malla was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and raised in London, Ontario. He attended Concordia University in Montreal as a graduate student.
His debut book, The Withdrawal Method, a collection of short stories, won the Trillium Book Award and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. One of his short stories, "Filmsong", won an Arthur Ellis Award while another was published on Joyland, a hub for short fiction.
Snare Books released All Our Grandfathers Are Ghosts, a collection of poetry. His first novel, People Park, was published in 2012.
Malla is a frequent contributor to The Walrus.
His debut book, The Withdrawal Method, a collection of short stories, won the Trillium Book Award and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. One of his short stories, "Filmsong", won an Arthur Ellis Award while another was published on Joyland, a hub for short fiction.
Snare Books released All Our Grandfathers Are Ghosts, a collection of poetry. His first novel, People Park, was published in 2012.
Malla is a frequent contributor to The Walrus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 25, 2024
2.8 "frenetic surreal existential absurdities" stars !!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Knopf Canada for an e-copy. This was released Feb 2021. I am providing an honest review.
First of all this author has mega-doses of talent and writing chops. In small doses his prose is vivid, spectacular, brilliant, hilarious and weird. I am positive this would work amazingly in short fiction.
In this novel, however, I was oversaturated and sometimes annoyed. Too glaring and too clever despite an amazingly genius depiction of suburban existential decay.
A mixed reading experience and I hope the author is able to moderate and temper his hypomanic brilliance for something a bit more enjoyable which I feel would get his vision across more meaningfully.
February 16, 2021
I really don’t know what I just read… Kill the Mall started strong – our unnamed narrator has just been offered a “residency” at a mall, during which he will live in an unused storefront and will spend his time “making work” and “engaging the public.” For the self-proclaimed lover of malls, the residency seems like a dream come true, but soon enough it becomes clear that this mall is not what it seems as strange things start happening around him and to him. I enjoyed the way the mall became a character and the first hints of horror, but the story quickly became too absurd for my liking. I had no idea what was happening for most of it and could not figure out if the mall was actually evil or if the narrator was just spiraling into insanity. Perhaps both is true. By the end, I was just glad it was done. I’m sure there is an audience for this book, but unfortunately, I am not part of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Knopf Canada) for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Knopf Canada) for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2022
pasha malla is coming to speak to my english class this friday and i’m very excited after finishing this bc i am so confused. so many questions that need to be answered
March 24, 2022
This really put the hook in me. Very real, very very real.
December 6, 2022
3.75 stars
Makes absolutely no sense, but at the same time wildly imaginative and even emotionally stirring, Kill the Mall is spot-on with referencing David Lynch in its blurb—it has the same kind of hazy, surrealist narrative that can be difficult to decode, and oblique to what is its ultimate message, but I can't deny there are scenes so vividly depicted, they will forever ingrained in my brain.
One undeniable strength of Kill the Mall is the excellent writing; it's provocative, unpredictable, and filled with sarcasm and wit (example: we have a character who works in the lost & found department called D. Lee (delete)). Even when I'm at a loss regarding the plot, there's still the scene-chewing prose keeping my attention intact. While I would not categorize this novel as horror, there are grotesque scenarios here that might top some of the horror novels I've read recently (mostly deal with a large quantity of hair not behaving as we would expect).
Kill the Mall is like an art piece I admire, but can't quite 'get'—I vaguely sense the theme of loneliness and capitalism, but I'm left scratching my head as to why an empty mall, a tailless pony, a swimming pool of souls, and animated hair is assembled to present this narrative. I appreciate its artistic expression, but definitely only suitable for a niche audience.
Makes absolutely no sense, but at the same time wildly imaginative and even emotionally stirring, Kill the Mall is spot-on with referencing David Lynch in its blurb—it has the same kind of hazy, surrealist narrative that can be difficult to decode, and oblique to what is its ultimate message, but I can't deny there are scenes so vividly depicted, they will forever ingrained in my brain.
One undeniable strength of Kill the Mall is the excellent writing; it's provocative, unpredictable, and filled with sarcasm and wit (example: we have a character who works in the lost & found department called D. Lee (delete)). Even when I'm at a loss regarding the plot, there's still the scene-chewing prose keeping my attention intact. While I would not categorize this novel as horror, there are grotesque scenarios here that might top some of the horror novels I've read recently (mostly deal with a large quantity of hair not behaving as we would expect).
Kill the Mall is like an art piece I admire, but can't quite 'get'—I vaguely sense the theme of loneliness and capitalism, but I'm left scratching my head as to why an empty mall, a tailless pony, a swimming pool of souls, and animated hair is assembled to present this narrative. I appreciate its artistic expression, but definitely only suitable for a niche audience.
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July 5, 2020I tried. I really did… but it’s taken me 3 days to get to page 80. This is just not the book for me.
I still do not feel invested - or drawn into - the storyline. The publisher describes it as ‘madcap’ but I’m just not feeling or seeing it. Weird yes. Horror… well, maybe, but it isn’t even close to that yet. Most of what has transpired so far just falls into the category of ‘ridiculous’ from my perspective. Fundamentally, I just don’t care enough to keep reading. Sorry.
I still do not feel invested - or drawn into - the storyline. The publisher describes it as ‘madcap’ but I’m just not feeling or seeing it. Weird yes. Horror… well, maybe, but it isn’t even close to that yet. Most of what has transpired so far just falls into the category of ‘ridiculous’ from my perspective. Fundamentally, I just don’t care enough to keep reading. Sorry.
February 20, 2021
Listened to the ALC on libro.fm! I would like to personally shake the hand of the narrator-- or maybe I should say voice actor, since he gives such a fierce performance that truly put me into the protagonist's eccentric (and possibly unhinged) mind. I loved the absurdity of this book. I burst out laughing on the bus and frightened strangers by loudly exclaiming "WHAT?" out of seemingly nowhere. So so strange and absolutely worth it.
November 5, 2022
I loved this book. I loved the ending and never saw it coming! It seems that some people have struggled with this book because they need the reassurance of a linear plot or clear message. Why not just strap in and go on this insane and visually breathtaking journey? Don’t analyze why things are happening, or not happening, or maybe happening. Just enjoy the ride. Can a ponytail NOT break loose from its “owner”, live a life of its own, and wow the public with its artistic prowess? Who doesn’t envy, or even sometimes resent, the cocksure nature of a man’s ponytail. Then imagine if that ponytail (slight spoiler alert here) has the audacity to kill its owner. This book is hilarious, dark, beautiful, and truly, truly original. And it’s brilliantly written. Having read it, I can open it to any page and be drawn back into the story just based on the quality of writing alone. Set aside your expectations, open your imagination, and read this book!
December 3, 2020
I hate when authors try to be secretive of what's going on in their book; few authors can do it well. In this case, the lack of answers for the who, what, when, and why drove me crazy more than it drove my interest.
The main character's scattered thoughts and crushing anxiety from moment to moment made it feel as though they were going to collapse in on themselves. It was as if the main character was schizophrenic or in a dissociative state without the author ever actually indicating clearly what the character's idiosyncrasies were.
Also, the progress report chapters felt needless. Much of this book felt needless and weird for weird's sake... And I usually like weird!
The "villain" or source of evil in this book is beyond absurd. Honestly, why? Just why?
The main character's scattered thoughts and crushing anxiety from moment to moment made it feel as though they were going to collapse in on themselves. It was as if the main character was schizophrenic or in a dissociative state without the author ever actually indicating clearly what the character's idiosyncrasies were.
Also, the progress report chapters felt needless. Much of this book felt needless and weird for weird's sake... And I usually like weird!
The "villain" or source of evil in this book is beyond absurd. Honestly, why? Just why?
July 4, 2024
What the fuck (in a good way)
October 8, 2021
a man wins a residency to live and work at a dilapidated shopping mall for two months. once there, very normal things happen (this is sarcasm)!
this fits nicely into a genre of “wtf is happening canadian lit” of which I guess I am a fan (see also the beguiling by zsuzsi gartner). here we have hair body horror (what’s that you ask? literally hair body horror!) a house-of-leaves-esque shopping mall, and a pony named gary. very strange, but very well written and actually made me laugh.
I had a fun time reading it but if you ask me to dissect the story into the fable about consumerism it’s advertised as, no can do hunni because that’s famously not a strength of mine
this fits nicely into a genre of “wtf is happening canadian lit” of which I guess I am a fan (see also the beguiling by zsuzsi gartner). here we have hair body horror (what’s that you ask? literally hair body horror!) a house-of-leaves-esque shopping mall, and a pony named gary. very strange, but very well written and actually made me laugh.
I had a fun time reading it but if you ask me to dissect the story into the fable about consumerism it’s advertised as, no can do hunni because that’s famously not a strength of mine
July 4, 2021
If you don't love weird, STEER CLEAR!! This novel is an obscure, bordering on bizarro, read on an anti-hipster, anti-consumerism movement. I LOVED IT!! Showing how much the world has changed where sheep consumers reign, and no one has an original thought of their own. It's only someone on the outside looking in (or, more astutely, on the inside looking in? 🤔) can see what is happening. But, can he stop it? Can he get out with his soul intact?? READ IT TO FIND OUT!
February 22, 2021
i have a strong aversion to hair, so needless to say i found this book absolutely horrifying. thank god there was a little bit of comedy sprinkled in, otherwise i may have died. i literally do not recommend unless you wish for your soul to permanently leave your body.
March 4, 2021
If you don't like absurd books, and a lot of people don't, give this a pass. I thought it was a delight, but I know full well it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
July 28, 2021
Weird as hell. Take Dirk Gently and make it 10x weirder. Do not read if hair grosses you out.
March 25, 2022
This was hands down one of the most bizarre books i’ve ever read, and I fucking loved every second of it.
March 21, 2025
if you are to read this make sure you find an illegal pdf version instead and a time machine to get back the hours you wasted
April 8, 2022
The unnamed MC gets a rare opportunity to move into a local mall. All the MC has to do is fill out reports of their day, engage the public and 'make work'.
The great opportunity begins to turn bad when strange and frightening things start happening in the mall.
I'm still a bit confused as to what the heck I just read. The story started out good, though the great mall vibes I was looking forward to fell a bit flat. Then at around page 70, the story took a nosedive. Things became very strange and downright silly.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the vague writing style either.
I was very much looking forward to this one as it was described as a mall horror and it has a cool cover. Unfortunately though, I would not recommend it if you like stories that make some kind of sense.
The great opportunity begins to turn bad when strange and frightening things start happening in the mall.
I'm still a bit confused as to what the heck I just read. The story started out good, though the great mall vibes I was looking forward to fell a bit flat. Then at around page 70, the story took a nosedive. Things became very strange and downright silly.
I also wasn't the biggest fan of the vague writing style either.
I was very much looking forward to this one as it was described as a mall horror and it has a cool cover. Unfortunately though, I would not recommend it if you like stories that make some kind of sense.
May 3, 2021
Imagine you were offered a residency in a mall. You get to live there, your meals are paid, and all you have to do is socialize with customers and write a report each week.
To our narrator, this seems like an ideal situation... except for one tiny detail: The mall is alive.
This book is as odd as you would expect, with the author turning things that are neither scary nor disturbing into nightmare fuel. Although at times the rambling of our dear protagonist became incredibly monotonous, at several points this book had me laughing and cringing.
If you're looking for a book that borders on horror, while being completely absurd - it's worth giving this one a try.
To our narrator, this seems like an ideal situation... except for one tiny detail: The mall is alive.
This book is as odd as you would expect, with the author turning things that are neither scary nor disturbing into nightmare fuel. Although at times the rambling of our dear protagonist became incredibly monotonous, at several points this book had me laughing and cringing.
If you're looking for a book that borders on horror, while being completely absurd - it's worth giving this one a try.
April 7, 2021
This book is ridiculous in both good and meh ways. It had some great one liners, and gave me a whole new appreciation for hair horror. But it just couldn't maintain my concentration, I wanted it to get to the point, and then I didn't really end up liking the ending.
March 2, 2022
That was so WEIRD! Parts of it I was lost, parts of it I couldn’t stop laughing and parts I felt like I was back in my high school English lit class and some how “missing the point” but through the whole book I couldn’t stop thinking, “what am I reading?!” Anyway, I’m still so unsure!
February 25, 2021
This novel unleashed my inner surrealist mall rat. It is the literary equivalent to a Charlie Kaufman or Salvador Dali film and I think even out avante-gardes them 👏
It’s a wild book to try to explain, but our narrator takes up a “residency” in a decaying mall. When I think of residency I usually think of a performance artist or Vegas musician. It is never truly clear who our narrator is. Is he an artist, homeless man, eccentric mall enthusiast? You just need to let go of making sense of everything and like shopping, just openly enjoy the stimuli. There’s iconic David Lynch-like imagery in this novel. At one point our narrator goes and gets a haircut and a giant hair starts extruding out of his tongue. His obsession with ponytails climaxes in a parking lot scene that would make Kubrick jealous. He is tasked to write observation reports each week, by who, who really knows, why, again stop asking. His observations and interior monolog is the writing of the most anxious riddled over thinker I have ever encountered. And yes he does befriend a pony named Gary, ah more ponytails!!
If you are a fan of Murakami’s Strange Library then you will LOVE this title. If you like to analyze the shit out of everything and everyone then you will LOVE this title. It’s wonderfully weird and outrageously original and proudly Canadian 🇨🇦
It’s a wild book to try to explain, but our narrator takes up a “residency” in a decaying mall. When I think of residency I usually think of a performance artist or Vegas musician. It is never truly clear who our narrator is. Is he an artist, homeless man, eccentric mall enthusiast? You just need to let go of making sense of everything and like shopping, just openly enjoy the stimuli. There’s iconic David Lynch-like imagery in this novel. At one point our narrator goes and gets a haircut and a giant hair starts extruding out of his tongue. His obsession with ponytails climaxes in a parking lot scene that would make Kubrick jealous. He is tasked to write observation reports each week, by who, who really knows, why, again stop asking. His observations and interior monolog is the writing of the most anxious riddled over thinker I have ever encountered. And yes he does befriend a pony named Gary, ah more ponytails!!
If you are a fan of Murakami’s Strange Library then you will LOVE this title. If you like to analyze the shit out of everything and everyone then you will LOVE this title. It’s wonderfully weird and outrageously original and proudly Canadian 🇨🇦
May 17, 2024
So. Imagine Piranesi, except a) it’s a horror comedy with lots of hair-based body horror, b) set in a mall, c) there is no explanation for the narrator's thin grasp on reality, and d) goes completely off the rails (in a good way). Well, that’s Kill the Mall, the weirdest book I’ve read in a hot second.
Our loquacious unnamed main character adores the mall, and is all too pleased when he is chosen to begin a residency there. But after he moves in there, he discovers that no one else seems to quite share his passion, so the mall is mostly empty, and then…then there’s the hair. And the elevator button that leads to an unmarked floor. And the security cameras always watching. And some store owners who go missing...
The low GR rating is somewhat understandable (I cannot emphasise how very fucking weird this ended up being), but it deserves so much better. This got an IRL laugh out of me multiple times, and it’s just delightfully absurd and really commits to the bit, while also including moments that spooked the hell out of me. It’s a good, extremely surreal thriller. If you want to experience Piranesi through the glass window of a mall, darkly, and you’re prepared to put aside any sense of reality to do so, def recommend.
Our loquacious unnamed main character adores the mall, and is all too pleased when he is chosen to begin a residency there. But after he moves in there, he discovers that no one else seems to quite share his passion, so the mall is mostly empty, and then…then there’s the hair. And the elevator button that leads to an unmarked floor. And the security cameras always watching. And some store owners who go missing...
The low GR rating is somewhat understandable (I cannot emphasise how very fucking weird this ended up being), but it deserves so much better. This got an IRL laugh out of me multiple times, and it’s just delightfully absurd and really commits to the bit, while also including moments that spooked the hell out of me. It’s a good, extremely surreal thriller. If you want to experience Piranesi through the glass window of a mall, darkly, and you’re prepared to put aside any sense of reality to do so, def recommend.
March 13, 2021
Look, I love malls much like the narrator at the beginning of this book. I’m also fascinated by the many abandoned malls now littering suburbs throughout North America. A novel about someone who lives in a decaying mall and documents their experiences? Sounds up my street.
To be fair, I read this quite quickly. Pasha Malla’s writing style was gripping and given that we’re stuck with one person’s inner monologue, I was interested in the the narrator’s neurotic, anxious personality.
A lot of the horror elements in the book work but in the end, there’s just too much mystery. It’s almost too absurd and fantastical. By the middle of the book when the story really goes of the rails, there weren’t enough parameters and answers to keep this grounded.
Still, this was a zany read that I won’t soon forget.
To be fair, I read this quite quickly. Pasha Malla’s writing style was gripping and given that we’re stuck with one person’s inner monologue, I was interested in the the narrator’s neurotic, anxious personality.
A lot of the horror elements in the book work but in the end, there’s just too much mystery. It’s almost too absurd and fantastical. By the middle of the book when the story really goes of the rails, there weren’t enough parameters and answers to keep this grounded.
Still, this was a zany read that I won’t soon forget.
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July 31, 20201 STAR
Douglas Adams meets David Lynch in this witty yet horror-tinged fable about one of North America's scariest inventions--the local mall.
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I will keep this short, as I really don't think I was the target audience for this book. I SO wanted to love it (it sounded super weird and cult classic-y) but I really struggled to get into the writing style. KILL THE MALL reminded me of something Grady Hendrix might write but definitely struggled from imposter syndrome. Or maybe I just didn’t “get it” ...who knows.
Although there were many parts that I enjoyed, it never quite took off for me. However I applaud the cover designer because (as a self-professed cover snob) it is GORGEOUS.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC copy.
Douglas Adams meets David Lynch in this witty yet horror-tinged fable about one of North America's scariest inventions--the local mall.
.
.
.
I will keep this short, as I really don't think I was the target audience for this book. I SO wanted to love it (it sounded super weird and cult classic-y) but I really struggled to get into the writing style. KILL THE MALL reminded me of something Grady Hendrix might write but definitely struggled from imposter syndrome. Or maybe I just didn’t “get it” ...who knows.
Although there were many parts that I enjoyed, it never quite took off for me. However I applaud the cover designer because (as a self-professed cover snob) it is GORGEOUS.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC copy.
July 14, 2021
I loved this weird little book....all the ponytails, Gary the pony and dear Klassanderella (such pure love!). Everything that happens makes total sense if you consider what it would be like living in a run down suburban mall for 4 weeks. This is a brilliantly written book that made me laugh through the horror as the narrator tries to navigate and understand the inner workings of "the mall".
July 7, 2024
Before writing this, I stopped to question whether this book was really as bad as I thought, or if I just didn't get it. However, I don't actually think there was anything to get - despite the self-important claims on the cover from reviews. If there was some deeper message, it went completely over my head.
Kill The Mall was utter chaos and not in a fun way (as I'd hoped). It was genuinely such a struggle to get through the mere 243 pages. I could only read 20 pages at a time before needing a distraction.
One of my biggest issues with the novel was its genre blending. It couldn't decide if it wanted to be unserious comedy, horror, or fantasy, and the genres didn't mix well at all - like a cookie with salty chunks in it.
Now, let's talk about the logic (or lack thereof) in this book. The main character, when faced with a dilemma, would spiral and jump to the most absurd conclusions, then run with them for the rest of the book.
Kill The Mall was utter chaos and not in a fun way (as I'd hoped). It was genuinely such a struggle to get through the mere 243 pages. I could only read 20 pages at a time before needing a distraction.
One of my biggest issues with the novel was its genre blending. It couldn't decide if it wanted to be unserious comedy, horror, or fantasy, and the genres didn't mix well at all - like a cookie with salty chunks in it.
Now, let's talk about the logic (or lack thereof) in this book. The main character, when faced with a dilemma, would spiral and jump to the most absurd conclusions, then run with them for the rest of the book.
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April 6, 2022You don’t have to be a lover of malls to appreciate the book KILL THE MALL. After reading this most intriguing tale, you might approach malls a little differently in the future. It is also interesting as well that the author has Mall as part of his life name, so it was almost fate that brought him to the book.
The narrator of the book who does not have a name, is noted as eccentric, and that definitely works in his favour. The man loves the mall so it is appropriate that he is given the job of living in the mall, given a type of residency because he continually gushes about how great these places are. The mall is now his home as he lives in a storefront, making observations about the mall, a sort of personal essay about what goes through his mind during this residency in the mall.
It is not the most enviable of positions, but the narrator has a mindset that loves the mall, and the fantasy of it being part of his life makes up for any negative connotations. He does not interact with people but rather looks at them and creates stories about their lives, the more absurd the better. There are people with ponytails that becomes a focal point, and there is a pony as well that is almost human. There are ghosts in the pools and he might even eat one of them without realizing it. Yes it is absurdist narration at its most bizarre, but the fact that Malla meanders into the bizarre zone makes the reader wonder whether the mall is user friendly or just a place where souls go to spend time and escape from the reality outside.
Yes the place is dark and dreary as the narrator observes often, a vast wasteland of stores that appeal to all types of people, where the narrator even conjures up murder and death. It is as if the mall comes alive with appendages that reach out to snare peopl,e and hold them hostage to their buying and window shopping urges. KILL THE MALL is short and wild and weird, and will definitely have you thinking about what you just read, for quite some time after closing the book.
The narrator of the book who does not have a name, is noted as eccentric, and that definitely works in his favour. The man loves the mall so it is appropriate that he is given the job of living in the mall, given a type of residency because he continually gushes about how great these places are. The mall is now his home as he lives in a storefront, making observations about the mall, a sort of personal essay about what goes through his mind during this residency in the mall.
It is not the most enviable of positions, but the narrator has a mindset that loves the mall, and the fantasy of it being part of his life makes up for any negative connotations. He does not interact with people but rather looks at them and creates stories about their lives, the more absurd the better. There are people with ponytails that becomes a focal point, and there is a pony as well that is almost human. There are ghosts in the pools and he might even eat one of them without realizing it. Yes it is absurdist narration at its most bizarre, but the fact that Malla meanders into the bizarre zone makes the reader wonder whether the mall is user friendly or just a place where souls go to spend time and escape from the reality outside.
Yes the place is dark and dreary as the narrator observes often, a vast wasteland of stores that appeal to all types of people, where the narrator even conjures up murder and death. It is as if the mall comes alive with appendages that reach out to snare peopl,e and hold them hostage to their buying and window shopping urges. KILL THE MALL is short and wild and weird, and will definitely have you thinking about what you just read, for quite some time after closing the book.
February 2, 2021
Have you ever seen photos of the interiors of abandoned shopping malls? It is equal parts sad and creepy. There is something disturbing about places of such joy left to decay. If you take those photos, turn up the dial on the ominous atmosphere, throw in some potentially murderous hairballs and amputated ponytails, and mix it all up with bizarre characters and a heroic mall pony and you begin to have a glimmer of an idea about the substance of this book. All this weirdness is set in the surreal landscape of a declining and dying shopping mall which renders it even more bizarre and spooky.
There are layers of mystery beginning with the unexplained position of “mall resident”, continuing through mysterious disappearances, possible murders, and a building layout that seems to change and expand at will. None of this is explained and the story doesn’t spend any time catering to your need for resolution or to make sense of things. This is a really weird story and I imagine it won’t be for everyone. If you have trichophobia or are squeamish about body horror you are advised to leave this one off your reading list.
If you can handle the grossness and are accepting of abandoning your inherent need for logic, answers, and explanations you will be rewarded with a story unlike anything you have ever encountered. It was unpredictable and impossible to summarize in a way that does justice to its peculiar nature. I laughed, I squirmed, I gagged a little, and most importantly of all, I was entertained. The ending had me laughing and cheering. True to form for “Kill the Mall” it was an impossible end and made little sense, but I don’t think that it could have ended any other way. I am left happy and satisfied. My mind is boggled but my heart is full.
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Knopf Canada for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.
There are layers of mystery beginning with the unexplained position of “mall resident”, continuing through mysterious disappearances, possible murders, and a building layout that seems to change and expand at will. None of this is explained and the story doesn’t spend any time catering to your need for resolution or to make sense of things. This is a really weird story and I imagine it won’t be for everyone. If you have trichophobia or are squeamish about body horror you are advised to leave this one off your reading list.
If you can handle the grossness and are accepting of abandoning your inherent need for logic, answers, and explanations you will be rewarded with a story unlike anything you have ever encountered. It was unpredictable and impossible to summarize in a way that does justice to its peculiar nature. I laughed, I squirmed, I gagged a little, and most importantly of all, I was entertained. The ending had me laughing and cheering. True to form for “Kill the Mall” it was an impossible end and made little sense, but I don’t think that it could have ended any other way. I am left happy and satisfied. My mind is boggled but my heart is full.
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Knopf Canada for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.
August 31, 2021
After I finished reading this book, I asked a friend who had recommended it "So...can you explain what I just read, because I feel like I'm missing something."
They replied "No." and 'I didn't recommend it, per se...I said that I read it in one sitting and it stuck with me.'
As you may have noticed in other reviews, this is a polarizing book. I think I expected (probably unfairly) and wanted it to be like Drew Magary's The Hike, but Kill the Mall felt like a much more maddening and jarring journey. I wanted to like it more than I could, because I just felt so dislocated and jarred by the plot points. There were elements of the story (...like all the hair, and the hair body horror...) that had to represent something, and I was assuming there had to be some sort of allegories to consumerist culture in the book somewhere, but I just couldn't piece together how I was supposed to react to much of the plot.
What this book does have is writing. Some of the wordplay is downright delightful, with Malla festooning the prose with over-the-top assemblies of alliterations and gleeful mockery of tourism/sales speak. It was definitely one of those books that left me feeling like I hadn't entirely enjoyed it, but where I came away with a very healthy respect for the author, who is clearly very talented.
By virtue of the format, I may have found it a little harder to follow since I read the audiobook. However, Anand Rajaram turns in a bravura performance as the narrator. He's enthusiastic, exuberant, and arch, and he tackles the wordplay of the book (especially the "status reports") with relish. He's just a perfect fit for the source material.
They replied "No." and 'I didn't recommend it, per se...I said that I read it in one sitting and it stuck with me.'
As you may have noticed in other reviews, this is a polarizing book. I think I expected (probably unfairly) and wanted it to be like Drew Magary's The Hike, but Kill the Mall felt like a much more maddening and jarring journey. I wanted to like it more than I could, because I just felt so dislocated and jarred by the plot points. There were elements of the story (...like all the hair, and the hair body horror...) that had to represent something, and I was assuming there had to be some sort of allegories to consumerist culture in the book somewhere, but I just couldn't piece together how I was supposed to react to much of the plot.
What this book does have is writing. Some of the wordplay is downright delightful, with Malla festooning the prose with over-the-top assemblies of alliterations and gleeful mockery of tourism/sales speak. It was definitely one of those books that left me feeling like I hadn't entirely enjoyed it, but where I came away with a very healthy respect for the author, who is clearly very talented.
By virtue of the format, I may have found it a little harder to follow since I read the audiobook. However, Anand Rajaram turns in a bravura performance as the narrator. He's enthusiastic, exuberant, and arch, and he tackles the wordplay of the book (especially the "status reports") with relish. He's just a perfect fit for the source material.
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